It is known in the art of packaging to form enclosing containers from blank sheet stock of various materials by folding the blank stock to form sides and tops of a container. In most applications of the folding of blank stock the materials are rigid board or paperboard with hinged segments that fold onto each other to form the sides, top and bottom of the containers. Such containers can be made to fold to an almost cylindrical form by making the blank with enough segments to make the folded and assembled form of the sides of the container almost a continuous circumference form.
It is also known to package liquid or fluid materials in protective containers where the contained materials are actually held in another package within the protective container to thus prevent damage to the package within the container. Such containers are usually rigid and somewhat strong to provide the desired protection to the contained package, and such containers are frequently more costly than more conventional containers made of rigid board or paperboard. Because of that increased cost, the more expensive containers are frequently returned to the source of origin for reuse. Empty, bulky containers create extra return shipping expenses because the container takes up space even though they may be lighter in weight than when filled. Those in the packaging and shipping industries have therefore become interested in protective packaging that can be returnable in a form that will not require the shipping of bulky, empty, space consuming containers.